Shoelace fastener



Dec. 15, 1942. B. R. NYHAGEN SHOE LACE FASTENER Filed Jan. 8, 1942 (Mill %HIIIIIII IN V EN TOR. fine/v57? NYf/A 00v BY v ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 15, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHOELACE FASTENER Barney R. Nyhagen, New York, N. Y.

Application January 8, 1942, Serial No. 425,958

8 Claims.

This invention has general reference to fastening devices and is more particularly directed to an improved device for fastening shoe laces or shoe strings.

The invention broadly aims to provide an improved device of the indicated character which effectually functions to fasten and retain the free terminal portions of shoe laces so as to eliminate the necessity of securing the same by the tying bow or other knots and thus avoid the inconveniences resulting therefrom such as the unintentional loosening and release of the knots and the difficulty frequently experienced in untying the same.

The present invention comprehends an im proved fastening device with which the shoe lace terminals may be readily and expeditiously engaged so as to positively secure the same against unintentional release and from which device the lace terminals may be easily and quickly disengaged to permit of loosening of the same.

Other features of the invention reside in the provision of a shoe lace fastener which maybe either constructed to provide a plain unobtrusive device or one of an ornamental nature as a decorative accessory for the shoe.

As a still further object, the invention comprehends a shoe lace fastener which may be positioned at any one of a number of vertically spaced locations with reference to the shoe so as to provide the desired tightness or looseness at any region throughout the instep from the vamp to the top of the upper.

The invention is also directed to a shoe lace fastener which is extremely simple in its construction and mode of use, is light in weight, strong and durable, and which may be economically produced from a wide variety of materials.

With the above enumerated and other objects in view, the invention is set forth in greater detail in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the upper of a shoe in the region of the laced portion illustrating the fastening device in applied position with the shoe lace terminals secured thereby.

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the manner in which the fastening device is initially associated with the shoe laces.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken approximately on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side view of the fastening device.

Fig. 5 is an end view thereof.

Fig. 6 is a, perspective view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating a modified form of fastening device initially associated with the shoe laces.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged side view thereof.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged plan View of the same.

Fig. 9, is an enlarged side view of a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 10 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 11 is an end view of the same.

Fig. 12 is a transverse sectional view taken approximately on the line l2-l2 of Fig. 9.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference A and B designate generally the opposite side portions of the shoe upper which are provided with the lace engaging elements or eyelets C with which the opposite leads of the shoe lace D are engaged to draw the portions A and B of the upper together.

The fastening device, designated generally by the reference character E, in the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, is constructed of any suitable material and essentially consists of an elongated body II! which is of generally circular form as viewed from the end and is'provided intermediate the ends with a diametrically disposed opening II. The underside is shaped to provide recessions 12 located on opposite sides of the lace receiving opening II and defines at the opposite ends depending projections I3.

In use, the shoe lace D is engaged with one or more pairs of the lace engaging devices or eyelets C after which the remaining terminal portions are trained or reeved through the opening 'I l of the body ID of the device E as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, and the terminals of the laces protruding from the opening II are then engaged in the usual manner through the remaining eyelets or lace engaging devices C as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. The lace terminals are then preferably tied with a single knot as shown at F and by grasping the fastener E at the opposite ends and lifting up slightly the lace terminals are together wrapped or coiled about the regions of the lace leads as they enter and emerge from the lace receiving opening of the body I!) of the fastener E.

This serves to retain the coiled portions of the free terminals of the laces in the recessions I2 between the body of the fastener and the shoe upper, the depending projections 13 at the opposite ends serving to prevent unwrapping or uncoiling of the terminals. This effectually retains the shoe lace in laced condition against any possibility of unintentional release while permitting the free terminals of the laces to be readily unwrapped or uncoiled by grasping the opposite ends of the body of the fastener E and lifting up slight- ].y thereon.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 6, '7, and 8 of the drawing, the fastening device designated generally by the reference character G is fashioned from a flat strip of sheet metal or other equivalent sheet material to provide an elongated body [5, the medial portion of which is formed of parallel slits IS, the portion 11 between the slits being bent downwardly to arcuate formation and the portions l8 between the slits and the side edges being bent upwardly to arcuate formation so as to define a loop or opening !9. The opposite end portions beyond the medial portion of the body are bent downwardly and thence curved upwardly as at 2! to define recessions 22 on the underside lying on opposite sides of the loop or opening [9 and presenting a depending rounded projection 23. In this form of the invention, the laces are trained through the loop or opening i9 and the fastener G is employed in precisely the same manner as that described for the fastener E in the previous form of the invention.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 9 to 12 inclusive, the fastener designated generally by the reference character H, is in the form of a spool having a core 25 of circular cross section provided with an annular bulge 25 intermediat its ends and formed with a diametrically extending lace receiving opening 21. In this form the core 25 of the fastener is provided with eccentrically disposed circular flanges 28 which constitute depending projections and define recessions 25 lying on opposite sides of the opening and bulge 25. In use, the fastener H is employed in the same manner as the fastening devices E and G.

The fasteners may also be used in various other ways than those shown, such as by initially extending the lace terminal leads through the openings in the fastener body from opposite directions thereby disposing the fasten-er vertically of the shoe upper in lieu of transversely or horizontally thereacross. Ornamental devices may also form a part of the fastener body or may be made as a separate element attached thereto by the shoe lace.

What is claimed is:

1. A lace fastener including an elongated body having a medial transverse aperture extending through the opposite sides thereof and through which the leads of the laces are adapted to be trained at a region of the lace leads disposed between adjacent pairs of lace engaging devices on a laced article, said fastener body having offset opposite ends defining therebetween a recession in the underside of the body which extends through said opposite sides thereof which is disposed parallel with the axis of the aperture and which confronts the laced article for receiving portions of the lace terminals coiled about the portions of the laces immediately adjacent the fastener body aperture to clampingly retain the coiled portions of the lace leads confined between the fastener and the laced article.

2. A shoe lace fastener including a body having an opening extending through the opposite sides thereof and through which the laces are adapted to be trained with the terminal portions thereof subsequently laced with the shoe upper, said body having recessions in the underside thereof extending through said opposite sides extending parallel with the axis of the opening and located on opposite sides of the lace receiving opening to accommodate portions of the laces coiled about the regions of the lace leads as they enter and emerge from the lace receiving opening of the body so as to retain the free terminals of the laces between the fastener body and the shoe upper.

3. The combination with an article having parts adapted to be laced together, a lace and mating pairs of lace engaging devices on said parts, of a lace fastener including a body having a medial transverse opening extending through the opposite sides thereof and through which the leads of the lace are trained at a region of the lace leads disposed between adjacent pairs of lace engaging devices, said body having offset opposite ends directed towards the laced article and defining between said ends a recession in the underside of the body which extends through said opposite sides thereof and is disposed towards the laced article and closed thereby to provide a space for the reception of the free terminals of the lace leads coiled about the lace lead portions immediately adjacent the fastener body aperture.

4. A fastener for the terminals of a lacing comprising an elongated body having a medial transverse opening and extremities at the opposite ends of said body offset in the same direction to define a recession in the underside of said body, which recession opens through the opposite sides thereof and extends in a direction parallel with the axis of the opening.

5. A fastener for the terminals of a lacing comprising an elongated body having a medial transverse opening and extremities at the opposite ends of said body offset in the same direction and perpendicular to theaxis of the aperture to define a recession in the underside of the body.

6. In a fastener for the terminals of a lacing, a body fashioned from sheet material having a medial transverse opening extending through opposite sides of the body for receiving the lacing terminals and substantially U-shaped opposite end portions offset in the same direction to define a recession in the underside of the body extending through said opposite sides of the body and extending in a direction coinciding with the axis of the opening.

:7. A fastener for the terminals of a lacing including a cylindrical body having a medial diametrically disposed opening and substantially circular eccentric opposite ends protruding in the same direction from the body and defining therebetween and together with the body a recession.

8. A fastener for the terminals of a lacing com prising a body having an opening intermediate the ends thereof which extends thro h the op posite sides of the same, said body b. formed with a recession in the underside of the body, which recession extends through said opposite sides of the body and in a direction coinciding with the axis of the Opening.

BARNEY R. NYl-IAGEN. 

